"Dad?" Reese exclaimed as Ruben came into the room with a smug look on his face.
She couldn't believe her eyes.
She slowly shook her head and said, "What the hell! It was you? This can't be happening."
Ruben just snorted and walked further into the room.
‘What?!’ Ray frowned as he got a good look at Ruben.
‘That short, fat man is Mommy's father?’ Ray could hardly believe it.
Wendy had never spoken to Raymond of her past, but he could put two and two together.
When they were abroad, his mom often mentioned her dead mother and grandma; she would talk
about her sister Reese, too.
But Wendy had ever mentioned her father.
And they were back in the country for a long time now, but his mom had never taken him to see his
grandfather.
And Ruben had never visited either.
Which could only mean that father and daughter did not get along.
With these thoughts swirling in his head, Raymond made up his mind.
Putting on the most serious look he could muster, he confronted the man standing before him.
"What do you want from us?"
It seemed that Ruben hadn't even noticed Raymond until then.
He squinted his eyes at the boy, and moments later his eyes lit up with recognition.
He raised his eyebrows at his grandson.
"They said they caught a little guy.Must be you! I didn't think you'd be so lucky.I always thought that
Wendy had gotten rid of you."
"Dad, watch your mouth.He is only a kid."
"Wendy isn't here though.Not yet at least.Now that I have you, my little man, your mother will come to
me on her own."
"What do you want from us?"
Raymond repeated angrily.
Ruben didn't even look at the boy as he slowly took a seat on the sofa.
Seeing Reese pulling Raymond towards the door, he rolled his eyes.
"Do you think I'd leave that door unguarded? You won't get past my man out there, so don't even
bother," he said flatly.
Reese stopped in her tracks, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Don't look at me like that," Ruben said.
Looking Reese up and down, he chuckled.
"Well, you look great today.Which saves me a lot of time."
Reese felt a wave of panic swallowing her.
"What the hell do you want? "
"I just need a little favor."
Reese wiped away a stray tear.
"Kidnapping someone to ask them for a favor? That's a new one," she sneered.
Ruben crossed his legs.
"By all means, keep on making sarcastic remarks.Just make sure to stop when Gavin is here.Here's
the deal: you make the man happy and I guarantee you'll be safe."
‘Gavin! He didn't give up his scheme to sell me to that horrid man!’ s Reese trembled with fury.
"Wendy is right.You are a scumbag! She was never fooled by you, as I was.I always thought that you
have no choice but to have me marry Flynn.That you were being forced to do it.While I was married to
Flynn, you were always nice to me.That was just an act, wasn't it? You just wanted access to Flynn's
money through me.I was always a means to an end for you."
Reese couldn't stop the tears from running down her face.
She felt like an utter fool.
When Wendy had disappeared, Reese had thought she was dead.
And with Eris being Ruben's stepdaughter, she had thought he would start treating her better.
After all, she was the only daughter he had left.
So when he had repeatedly asked her for money, she had put aside her pride and begged Flynn for
cash.
She had also been saving some money from the grocery budget to give to her father.
As a result, she never had enough money saved for herself, even after being married to a rich man for
sO Many years.But as it turned out, the so-called fatherly affection was just wishful thinking from her
part.
She couldn't help wondering if Ruben laughed at her naivete every time she gave him her money.
"Dad, I only have one question.Are we really your daughters, Wendy and I?"
Seeing that Reese's grief, Ruben's smile widened.
"My dear Reese, as long as you do as I say, of course you are my daughters.You have no idea how
hard things are for my business right now.I really have no choice," he said without a trace of shame.
"Flynn said you got half of his fortune after the divorce.It must be quite a lot, right? I heard that you are
selling the house already? Come on, Reese, raising you wasn't easy for me.It's time for you to pay me
back.I don't need a lot.And no cash.Just the house will do.I would consider your debt paid in full.What
do you think?"
Reese couldn't suppress a shiver.
She never expected Ruben would stoop so low.
"It's just a house, Reese.Give it to me and you don't have to marry Gavin.I promise I'll let you and this
little bastard go right away.How does that sound?"
Ruben suggested with a sly smile.Reese snorted.
She would be completely stupid if she would ever believe him again.
"Do you think I am an idiot? I don't believe a word you say any more," Reese shot back at him.
She pursed her lips in disgust and added, "Why not sell Eris off?"
Ruben's smile vanished instantly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Hump! Of course, how silly of me.Eris always was your beloved daughter.I really can't understand you
at all.Wendy and I are your real daughters, while Eris is just a burden you got from marrying Cacia.Why
do you care about her and not us?"
"Shut your mouth!"
"When Wendy dated Brian, it was Eris that ruined their relationship.Just because she wanted him for
herself.And you helped her steal Brian from my sister.And when you found out the Oliver family was
rich, you even encouraged them to date openly, "
Reese pressed on.
Ruben had heard enough.
He waved his hand impatiently and said, "I told you to shut up!"
"No way," she shouted back.
"I must get an answer today.They say blood is thicker than water, but that’s not true in our situation.You
chose another man's daughter over your own.You broke your own daughter's heart.Both of our hearts."
Reese gritted her teeth and continued.
"Tell me, do you know the truth of how my mother died?"
Ruben gave her a dangerous glare through narrowed eyes.
"How could you not? It was Cacia who killed her, threw her into the sea.Or perhaps it was the two of
you together? It was, wasn't it? You bastard! Mom was a gentle, beautiful soul.She took good care of
our family and she loved us with all her heart.You were constantly drunk, whoring around and
gambling.But for the sake of her children, mom endured it all.How dare you and Cacia kill her? Do you
even have a conscience?"Ruben's face hardened.
He stood up and bellowed, "Enough! Don't speak to me of your mother, ever again!"
"Why? Feeling guilty?"
"Guilty? Is this a joke? Ha-ha! Why should I feel guilty?"
Ruben seemed blind with fury.
He kicked the sofa and yelled, "She deserved what she got.She really did!"
Then he added, "Do you want to know why I prefer Eris over you and your sister?"
Reese lifted her chin.
"Yes, I want to know," she said her voice steady.
"Alright then. If you really must know..."
Ruben paused and flashed her an evil grin before finishing his sentence.
"It's because Eris is really my daughter!"
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